When Savannah Mast’s fiance dumps her a week before their wedding, she flees California for the safety of her Amish grandmother’s farm near Nappanee, Indiana. She’s not planning on staying long but becomes unexpectedly entangled in the search for a missing Amish girl. She can’t leave–especially not when her childhood friend Tommy Miller is implicated as a suspect.
When Savannah accompanies her … accompanies her grandmother to Plain Patterns, a nearby quilt shop, the owner and local historian, Jane Berger, relates a tale about another woman’s disappearance back in the 1800s that has curious echoes to today.
Inspired by the story, Savannah does all she can to find the Amish girl and clear Tommy’s name. But when her former fiance shows up, begging her to return to California and marry him after all, she must choose between accepting the security of what he has to offer or continuing the complicated legacy of her family’s faith.
more
Piecing It All Together by Leslie Gould is the beginning of the Plain Patterns series. I thought Piecing It All Together was well-written with developed characters in a picturesque setting. Savannah Mast is at crossroads when her fiancé calls off the wedding a week before the big day. It inspires her to make a change and go back to the place she loved growing up which was her grandmother’s house. Her mammi, Dorothy Mast, welcomes her and introduces her to the quilting circle at Plain Patterns owned by Jane Berger. Besides running the quilting shop, Jane writes a column for the Nappanee News and is a local historian. Jane knows that God will send someone to her who will need one of her historical tales. When Savannah gets involved in the disappearance of local teen, Jane begins telling her a story that echoes what is happening. I soon found myself engrossed in this novel and did not want to put it down. I like how the two stories (Savannah and Emma) worked together. I enjoyed both women’s stories. Piecing It All Together is a story about friendship, family, faith, and love. It was interesting learning about midwifery. I loved the descriptions of the Home and Hearth quilt the ladies created for someone special. I like how all the loose ends were wrapped up with a satisfying ending. I look forward to reading A Patchwork Past when is comes out in the spring. Piecing It All Together is a charming story with an unfeeling fiancé, an AWOL adolescent, a determined deputy, a quilt quandary, an emergency midwife, and ancestral anecdotes.
I enjoyed this heartwarming story about Savannah and what happened to her after her fiance dumped her just before their planned wedding. She quits her job and moves to Indiana to live with her Amish Grandmother until she decides what to do with her life. The characters are great and the story about ancestors moving to Indiana from Pennsylvania as told at a quilting bee was very interesting. I highly recommend this well written book.
This author’s book kept me reading and reading until the end. The storyline is wonderful. I highly recommend reading this book. Also, this book is Book #1 of Plain Patterns series. I’m looking forward to the second book.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. This review is one hundred percent my opinion.
I received a copy of this book from the author, I was not required to give a favorable review. Another hit from Leslie. When you read one of her book, you get a different insight on how a community of people who live just outside the norm deal with so many different kinds of situations. This is another one of those books. I always look forward to reading Leslie books.
Piecing It All Together is the first in a new series by Leslie Gould. If you’re thinking quilting, you’re partly right. That’s what I thought from the title and the cover of the book. And, the Amish are known for quilting!
Savannah Mast was on cloud nine. She never saw it coming…. her fiancé dumped her a week before the wedding. She left her California home to find comfort on her Amish grandmother’s farm in Indiana where she used to spend her summers.
Jane Berger owns a quilt shop and also writes a column for the Nappanee News. Currently she’s writing about origin of the town and how the Amish and Mennonites came to settle there.
Jane holds quilting circles at her shop. One day Savannah drove her grandmother to the shop and joined in on the quilting. While quilting, Jane started to tell the story she had written for the paper. It started with Emma Fischer in 1840. Savannah became intrigued with the story of her ancestors and took advantage of every opportunity to hear more about them.
And that is what was pieced together!
This captivating dual-time novel incorporates a story from the mid-1800s into the modern tale. Savannah Mast flees the West Coast after her fiancé jilts her and escapes to her Amish grandmother’s in Indiana. There she finds herself pulled into the midst of a former friend’s troubles. She also hears the saga of one of her Amish ancestors who suffered much in her pioneer life. I enjoyed both dramas and the lessons gleaned from her forebear’s life. The author brings the feisty characters to life and weaves a coordinated plot the works its way into your heart. I received a copy from the author/publisher. All opinions are my own.
Leslie Gould writes time-slip novels that have become some of my favorite reads. She certainly knows how to weave a tale and always draws me into the lives of her characters.
Piecing It All Together is a perfect example as I became caught up in the lives of present-day Savannah, Jane .and the story of Emma from over 100 years in the past. The secondary characters are wonderful, too. I loved spending time with the ladies in the community, as they gathered in the quilt shop, talking, quilting and hearing the story of Emma. This novel is an emotional one as it deals with broken relationships, family, friends and a message of faith woven throughout. I highly recommend this novel.
This is the first book in a new series by the author and I’m already anxiously awaiting the second book. I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley. All opinion is completely my own.
Leslie Gould knows how to write a great Amish story and keep you glued to the pages. Piecing it all Together was no exception. This book actually gave me two wonderful stories in one. Savannah left California after her fiancé dumped her and headed to visit her Amish grandmother in Indiana. Among all the snow and blizzard type weather she gets called out one night to help a mother deliver a baby. She had learned midwife skills from her mom.
At a weekly quilting circle hosted by Jane, a tale begins of a woman in the 1800s that faced similar circumstances such as Savannah faced. Emma also had to deliver babies in emergency situations. Jane tells bits and pieces of the story each week. I enjoyed how these two time periods paralleled each other in the things that happened. This was a story of love, forgiveness and trust. The ending was very satisfying and although it didn’t leave you hanging I saw how hopefully some of these same characters could be elaborated on in future novels.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through the publisher but was not required to write a review.
Piecing It All Together by Leslie Gould is a duel time story set in Elkhart County Indiana. I really enjoyed it. There is history, mystery and a bit of romance. The author is a wonderful writer of Amish fiction and this book is the first in her new series. I am eagerly waiting for the next installment.
Piecing It All Together is the first book in the Plain Pattern series from Author Leslie Gould.
I need to say I enjoyed this story. A dual-time story set in the present time and traveled back to 1800 when the first Plain settlers and Native Indians were in Indiana. The story of the 1800 is told by the local Historian in Nappanee Indiana, when I girl goes missing in town and nowhere to be found brings the local Historian to mention the story at a quilting session.
Savannah Mast is a young girl that knows about midwife learned from seeing her mother doing that before she died. She decides to visit her grandmother after her fiance brakes up with her a week before their wedding. It is there when she arrives that she is called to assist a birth when the girl is running out and then goes missing after that.
Jane, the local Historian mentions in the quilting session that it reminds her of a missing woman in the 1800. It is where we get to know Emma, Mathilde, Judah and many more. The story enfolds during the present activities of Savannah.
But the present time has it’s own mysteries and problems to solve. Meet Tommy, and Miriam. Troubled life and bad decisions make up this story such an amazing read. As, Savannah, remakes the story of Now to Then. And in searching for Peace, and Acceptance she finds herself Stronger than she thought she was. With the help of her ancestor Emma.
If you love dual-time stories, filled with Courage, Hope, Faith and A dash of Mystery this is the book you need to grab a copy and add it to your bookcase. Author Leslie has done an amazing job in her format of these two stories, leaving you wanting to go back to each one and leaving you interested to find out more as she transports you from one to another, in a perfectly nice way. The story slides into each story wonderfully. I sincerely can’t say how much I enjoyed this story that kept me glued to it’s pages and wanting to know more. I enjoy reading stories from the past, learning and getting to know how our ancestors lived back then.
I received a Complimentary copy of this book for my Honest Personal Opinion. Is hard to describe a book in detail when you have enjoyed it so much you don’t want to over do it or undo its magical content, Highly recommend it. You will love it.
Having read a number of Leslie Gould’s books, I was excited to read Piecing It All Together, the first in the Plain Patterns series. I was not disappointed. She writes such a great story, making her characters real and likable with strong emotions and convictions as they deal with real life issues and mend and strengthen relationships. It is a charming story that deals with broken relationships, the search for a missing teen and has a thread of midwifery throughout, that I found to be quite interesting. Gould has crafted a dual time story in this book, as the owner of a local quilt shop tells the story about Emma from the 1840s, that is parallel to Savannah’s story. As always with this author’s stories, there are strong themes of family, friends, and faith woven throughout. Readers who enjoy stories about family and friends set in the Amish community will not want to miss Piecing It All Together.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a review and the opinions are my own.
I opened this book and it was off to a fast start. No dull moments at all! So good. I enjoyed this book so very much. This was one interesting book having a captivating story from the past and a similar situation to those that came later. I loved that! The time-slip was very well done. It was interesting to read of the Amish migrations which is still fascinating in this day. The character, Jane Berger, writes a local history column and knows stories of the past that are perfect for those in the modern days. As she gets her quilters together and tells the stories, they touch the lives of those that need to hear them.
As is mentioned in the book blurb, Samantha’s fiancee dumps her just before the wedding, yet later is he wanting to win her back??? And is she going to be tempted to do that??? Then there is a missing persons situation and who is blamed for the disappearance? Lots going on in this book and you won’t be skipping pages to get to the good parts because the whole book is that good!
This is book 1 of a new series and I am hooked and will not miss the opportunity to read all the rest to come. Wow!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishing. All thoughts are my own.
This was my first book by Leslie Gould and I really enjoyed it! I loved that this was a dual timeline story. Both of the women were facing their own challenges, yet had several similarities. I think that the stories meshed together well. I look forward to reading more!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
This is a wonderful Amish novel!
I love the fact that there is a contemporary story with a mystery involved. At the same time one of the secondary characters in this story is telling a historical story verbally to the main character periodically throughout the book. It amazes me how the author managed to switch back and forth without confusing the reader.
All of the characters are extremely well developed and I connected with them quickly. A number of them had me wanting to just hug them and help them deal with the difficulties that they were dealing with.
The plot between the two stories had some definite similarities but they were also very different. I was fascinated by both of them and really wanted to see everything work out for all of the characters involved.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.
Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention or review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion – which I have done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
I am rarely speechless but this book made me speechless. It was not your typical amish book. Very unpredictable, inspiring and heartwarming. It wove the lives of the Amish people and their English relatives into a beautiful tapestry.
It was about the stories of Amish women even though separated by generations but united by their Godly hearts, love for family and love for helping others no matter what and in the most difficult of situations. I saw faith, love and loyalty illustrated in this book in the most outstanding ways. I saw acceptance despite an individual’s background. I saw sacrifice like I’ve never seen before.
I was completely blown away by this book. I started and I couldn’t stop. I just had to see how it all ended.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves a deep story. Be prepared to loose sleep like I did.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and this is my honest opinion.
Piecing It All Together, #1 Plain Patterns, by Leslie Gould, is one novel I want to label purely “Wunderbar.” I was fortunate to catch a sample chapter somewhere on my phone and I was hooked. I immediately requested an egalley from NetGalley. I must admit, I was a little uncertain. Some of Gould’s collaborations I have loved, while one particular series was not my style. But I am so glad I didn’t miss this one, and I will be first in line for book two, it is that enticing.
Gould’s riveting novel is a dual-timeline, with two young women, either Amish or with Amish ties, who are desperately seeking their place in life. Gould weaves so much tension into each story, switching between the two effortlessly. I couldn’t stand to put the book down and finished it in one day. So many emotions are pulled out of the reader’s heart, as you journey life with both present-day Savannah and 1842’s Emma and begin to see the greater picture come together.
So many takeaways for any reader. As we see overt and covert prejudice, we see what the cost is to fight for true equality. There are people who don’t give troublesome teenagers a chance to grow and mature into upstanding adults. We see characters who, one step at a time, rise far above anything they’d ever imagined. And we see incredible courage in the face of insurmountable odds, only to be recognized after the fact. Faith and forgiveness lived out to the fullest. I can’t rave enough about this book and its unforgettable characters.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from the author and publisher. No positive review was required and the opinions are solely my own.
What a powerful read, or should I say two stories. This book does have a story about Savannah and Jude and the a story about Emma and Judah, Emma’s story is from the 1800’s and it totally connected to Savannah so give it a chance. I will be honest I wasn’t sure what to think at first but the read was totally worth it. I really liked Savannah and Emma they were both very strong women just looking to where they belonged. This story is about family, forgiveness, and finding where you belong. This was a book I could not put down and was such a refreshing story. This is a good clean read and so well worth it I can’t wait to see what happens next in the small town of Nappanee. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.”
The title Piecing It All Together is so fitting for this story as it pieces the past along with the present as though each piece was part of a whole. Savannah Mast’s heart was broken but when she landed in Nappanee, her upset world was only the beginning of the whirlwind she found at her grandmother’s. Like most quilt shops, Plain Patterns was a haven for the women in the community to learn the comings and goings of the small town. The events, which for a sleepy Amish community run at a fast clip, unfold events in Savannah’s own life that put more than her broken heart into perspective. She was drawn to the circle of quilters, especially Jane, who possessed the amazing gift of sharing stories of her ancestors who settled the area long before the town was born.
I enjoyed this book. To write the journey of one woman is one thing, but to write two women’s stories is another matter and to do it well, takes the talents of a writer like Leslie Gould. I found myself favoring Emma’s story over Savannah’s, only to realize both women’s stories were so good. Each woman had compelling events in her life that makes her stronger. It is interesting to see how the past, however far removed, can be relevant to our stories today. Well written, with very interesting characters, Piecing It All Together is not your average book of Amish fiction.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bethany House for an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are truly my own.
Did ever wonder where you really came from, and how you got to where you are today? This story broadens the horizons as a young woman’s life falls apart, all her dreams and plans end in a phone call, and she goes to comfort, her Grandmother in Amish Country Indiana.
This young woman is what they call English, but her roots are Amish and she is thrown into the past with wonderful stories told by the local quilt shop Amish Woman, also a distant relative, but we are heading back to the original settlers of this are of the country.
This story is rich in history, but with flashes to today and some very tough subjects, with family dynamics, and history repeating itself in a good way.
This is the beginning of a new series, and the author did a wonderful job of pulling me in, both current and past times in the same area. You won’t be lost as we go from present to past as they transition is Jane telling you a story as you visit, and picking up on the next meeting.
I can’t wait for the next book!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.